Game Guide Haul in Den-Den-Town

Searching for the Dragon Quest I & II Game Guide in Ōsaka

One of the final days before returning to Germany was dedicated to a familiar mission whenever I visit Japan: tracking down items still missing from my shopping list. This time, my main objective was a recently released game guide for Dragon Quest I & II.

Since the game had only launched shortly before my trip, demand was still extremely high. As expected with anything related to the Dragon Quest series, the official guide had already sold out in many places. Even large electronics retailers such as Yodobashi Camera Umeda had no copies left.

That meant it was time to try the next logical location.

Den-Den Town: Ōsaka’s Otaku and Retro Gaming District

Whenever you are searching for niche gaming items in Ōsaka, Den-Den Town is usually a reliable destination. The district is often compared to Tōkyō’s Akihabara and is well known for:

• retro game shops

• anime and manga stores

• figure retailers

• electronics and hobby shops

Many stores in the area also carry game strategy guides, including both new releases and older publications. Unfortunately, despite checking several shops, the Dragon Quest I & II guide proved surprisingly difficult to find.

Even Super Potato, famous for its retro game collection, didn’t have it. That was not entirely surprising, though—Super Potato mainly specializes in classic titles and older gaming memorabilia, rather than brand-new releases.

Still, the visit led to an unexpected discovery.

The One That Got Away: Zelda Oracle of Ages & Seasons

While browsing the shelves, I came across a strategy guide for The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages / Oracle of Seasons.

For collectors of gaming literature, guides like this can be a fascinating piece of gaming history—especially for older handheld titles.

At first, I hesitated. A moment of indecision that I would soon regret.

Only a few days later, after deciding I actually wanted to buy the guide after all, I returned to the shop. By then it was already gone. It is a small collector’s tragedy many enthusiasts know well: hesitate too long, and the item disappears.

FUN FACT - EDIT: Ironically, after returning home and inspecting my own shelves, I discovered something amusing—I already owned that exact guide. The regret suddenly felt far less dramatic.

A Lead in Namba: Junkudo Bookstore at OCAT

Back to the original mission: the Dragon Quest I & II guide.

After some additional searching, I decided to try larger bookstores instead of game shops. In Japan, chains such as Kinokuniya or Junkudo often carry extensive selections of gaming books and strategy guides. Eventually I found a Junkudo bookstore inside OCAT (Ōsaka City Air Terminal) in the heart of Namba.

Unfortunately, the guide wasn’t available on the shelves there either. However, the staff offered a solution: they could order a copy for pickup in the store.

Communication proved slightly challenging due to the language barrier, but after a bit of back-and-forth the order was placed successfully. The book would arrive within a day or two, if I remember correctly.

Mission almost accomplished.

Rediscovering an Artist: Genso

Before leaving the store, I remembered something else.

Back in 2022, during my semester in Matsumoto, I had discovered an illustrator named Genso. His work immediately caught my attention because of its unique concept: detailed post-apocalyptic illustrations of real Japanese cities.

In his artworks, familiar urban landscapes—Tōkyō, Ōsaka, and other locations—are depicted as abandoned ruins reclaimed by nature, creating a haunting but beautiful atmosphere.

At the time I had purchased one of his books, but I couldn’t remember his name for quite a while. A quick search finally brought it back: Genso.

Interestingly, since my previous visit he had released a new volume focused on Ōsaka and the Kansai region.

Picking Up the Dragon Quest Guide

When I returned to Junkudo to collect the ordered Dragon Quest I & II guide, the staff had to search for it behind the counter for several minutes. Watching the process made me briefly wonder how their internal storage system was organized, but eventually the book appeared.

Of course, I didn’t leave with just one item. Naturally, I also bought the new Genso artbook I had just rediscovered.

Expanding the Collection: More Game Guides

Throughout the trip I managed to add several other Japanese strategy guides to my collection as well.

Among them were guides for:

• Romancing SaGa 2 (Nintendo Switch remake)

• the original SNES version of Romancing SaGa 2

Japanese strategy guides are often beautifully produced, featuring artwork, developer notes, and extensive gameplay documentation—making them valuable not only as references but also as collectible books about gaming history.

A Funny Twist: Surugaya Strikes Again

Shortly after finally purchasing the Dragon Quest I & II guide, another ironic moment occurred.

While browsing Surugaya, a well-known Japanese second-hand retailer, I suddenly spotted a used copy in excellent condition.

Naturally.

Collectors will understand the situation perfectly: once you finally find something after a long search, it immediately appears elsewhere.

Still Missing: Pokémon Legends Z-A

One guide I hoped to find during the trip unfortunately did not exist yet.

There was still no official strategy guide for Pokémon Legends Z-A available in stores.

This is likely because the game’s DLC content was released very shortly after launch, meaning the publishers probably waited until all gameplay data was finalized before printing a comprehensive guide.

The Pokémon series has a long tradition of multiple strategy guides per game. For example:

• Pokémon Scarlet & Violet received separate guides for the main game and DLC/postgame content.

• Earlier Pokémon titles often had two different books as well: one covering the story and another focusing on the Pokédex and advanced content.

• Sometimes several different publishers release competing guides for the same game.

So it is quite possible that the Legends Z-A guide will appear later.

Final Shopping Memories Before Leaving Japan

Looking back, the search for the Dragon Quest guide turned into a small adventure across Ōsaka’s gaming and bookstore scene.

Between Den-Den Town, retro shops, large bookstores, and unexpected discoveries like the Genso artbook, the final shopping days of the trip once again proved why Japan remains a paradise for collectors of gaming culture.

And sometimes the hunt itself becomes just as memorable as the item you were originally searching for.

Luckily they had this game delivered within one day to Junkudo at OCAT in Namba

The Disappearing Art of Video Game Guidebooks – And Why Japan Still Keeps It Alive

Why Video Game Guides Still Matter

In the 1990s and early 2000s, printed video game guides were an essential part of gaming culture. In countries like Germany, so-called Spieleberater or strategy guides were widely available in bookstores and gaming magazines. They offered maps, secrets, walkthroughs, and tips for players struggling with difficult levels.

Today, however, these books are often considered obsolete. Online walkthrough sites, YouTube playthroughs, speedruns, and Twitch streams have largely replaced traditional game guides. If a player gets stuck, the solution is usually just a quick search away.

Yet in Japan, video game guides never truly disappeared. In fact, they continue to play an important role—not just as gameplay references, but as cultural artifacts and artbooks.

Japan’s Physical Media Culture

One reason game guides remain relevant in Japan is the country’s strong culture of physical media preservation.

Across cities like Tōkyō and Ōsaka, massive second-hand retail chains continue to circulate physical media on a huge scale. Stores such as BookOff, HardOff, HobbyOff, OffHouse, and Surugaya keep older games, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, and books in circulation for collectors and enthusiasts.

This ecosystem supports not only retro gaming, but also the preservation of related media like strategy guides and artbooks.

Not every retro shop is equally recommended, however. The famous Super Potato has increasingly become more of a tourist attraction and influencer hotspot than a practical place for collectors. While the selection is good, the prices are often significantly inflated.

Overtourism and the Retro Market

The impact of overtourism has also reached the retro gaming scene.

In areas such as Akihabara in Tōkyō or Den‑Den Town in Ōsaka, the influx of tourists has pushed prices to extreme levels. What were once collector-friendly districts have increasingly become premium retail zones aimed at visitors rather than enthusiasts.

Even some branches of BookOff—for example the store in Namba—have followed this trend. Certain retro titles, especially from the Pokémon series, are sometimes priced at levels that border on speculation.

Scalpers and resellers have purchased large quantities of these games in recent years, creating artificial scarcity. As demand grew, stores adjusted their prices accordingly. For collectors who remember the earlier retro market, this change is striking.

Game Guides as Artbooks

Despite the changing market, Japanese game guides continue to offer something unique.

Unlike many Western guides that focused primarily on walkthroughs, Japanese guides often function as hybrid publications—part strategy guide, part artbook.

They frequently include:

• original character artwork

• concept sketches from the development process

• detailed maps and world layouts

• item lists and gameplay systems

• developer commentary and lore

For many players, these books are not only tools but windows into the creative process behind the games.

Nostalgia and Personal Memory

For collectors and retro gaming enthusiasts, game guides also carry a strong emotional component.

In my own collection, there are countless guides and artbooks that accompany the games in my retro archive. When revisiting an older title, these books become more than reference material—they reconnect me with memories from childhood and adolescence. Sometimes they remind me of the challenges I had to overcome while playing those games for the first time. At other times they simply evoke a sense of nostalgia or provide a small form of escapism.

Holding the original guide while replaying a classic game creates an experience that digital walkthroughs simply cannot replicate.

Game Preservation in the Digital Era

In recent years, concerns about game preservation have become increasingly important.

The industry is moving toward digital distribution models, subscription services, and limited physical releases. Examples such as key-based physical releases or digital-only titles show how fragile access to games can become. If a game is eventually delisted from online stores, access to it can disappear entirely.

Printed materials like game guides and artbooks therefore become valuable historical records. They document worlds, mechanics, and creative processes that might otherwise be lost.

The Value of Physical Books

The appeal of physical books is universal. Just as many readers still prefer printed novels over e-books, collectors and enthusiasts appreciate the tactile experience of printed guides.

The comparison is similar to vinyl records in music culture: while digital access is convenient, physical media provides a richer and more tangible connection to the art itself.

Events like the Frankfurt Book Fair and the Leipzig Book Fair demonstrate that printed books remain culturally significant even in a digital age.

Video game guides belong within this broader ecosystem of printed media.

A Creative Perspective

From an artistic perspective, game guides and artbooks represent a unique intersection between game design, illustration, and publishing.

They preserve concept art, design documents, and visual storytelling elements that often never appear within the games themselves.

This artistic dimension is also something I personally value in my own creative work. Through my photography projects and Kickstarter campaigns, I have published several limited photography artbooks, including cosplay portrait collections and visual explorations of Japan.

Just like game guides, these books transform digital images into a curated, physical experience—one that can be revisited years later.

Why These Books Should Not Disappear

Video game guides may no longer be necessary for solving difficult levels. The internet has made sure of that.

But their cultural role goes far beyond gameplay assistance.

They are:

• archives of game design history

• collections of artwork and creative ideas

• nostalgic companions to beloved games

• physical artifacts in a digital entertainment industry

For collectors, gamers, artists, and historians alike, game guides remain a medium worth preserving.

And perhaps that is the most important reason why they still matter.

ShiroCo Chemnitz 2025: Cosplay Photography, Artist Booths & Community Highlights

A Third Year at ShiroCo

With ShiroCo 2025, I attended the convention for the third time in a row — and just like in the previous years, I had my own artist booth there.

For me, this makes the experience quite different from simply visiting as a photographer. Having a booth means being able to present my photography work directly, including my artbooks, prints, and some of my other creative projects such as my Daruma coin series.

It’s always interesting to see how people react to the work in person. Conversations at conventions often lead to unexpected encounters — sometimes with collectors, sometimes with cosplayers interested in collaborations, and sometimes simply with curious visitors who stop by because a particular photo caught their attention.

ShiroCo has therefore become an important event in my annual convention schedule.

How I First Discovered ShiroCo

Interestingly, I first heard about ShiroCo during AniMC 2023. Both conventions share the same organizer — which explains the similar atmosphere and strong community focus.

After learning about ShiroCo at AniMC, I decided to visit later that same year.

That first visit in 2023 immediately convinced me to come back.

Since then, I have attended every year, always with a booth presenting my photography projects.

From Power Plant to Large Convention

While AniMC takes place in the Kraftwerk Chemnitz, ShiroCo is the organizer’s larger and more ambitious convention.

The event has grown steadily and now attracts a much broader audience of fans interested in:

• anime

• manga

• cosplay

• gaming

• Japanese pop culture

Compared to smaller local meetups, ShiroCo feels more like a full convention experience, with multiple program areas, stage events, and a wide range of exhibitors.

Artist booths and merchandise stands fill the halls, while various activities run throughout the day.

One particularly popular program element are the autograph sessions with voice actors. In previous editions, visitors had the chance to meet German voice actors from the anime One Piece and other well-known series. Even though those guest appearances are a highlight for many visitors, my own focus during the convention is usually somewhere else.

Cosplay Photography Remains the Main Attraction

As much as I enjoy presenting my photography work at the booth, the main reason I attend conventions like ShiroCo remains the same:

Cosplay photography.

Conventions bring together a wide range of creative costumes and passionate fans, which creates endless opportunities for interesting portraits and collaborations.

Between managing the booth and exploring the convention floor, I usually try to squeeze in as many cosplay shoots as possible. Even quick spontaneous portrait sessions can lead to surprisingly strong results.

Over the years ShiroCo has introduced me to many new cosplayers, some of whom I later worked with again on other projects.

The Artist Booth Experience

Running an artist booth during a convention adds an entirely different layer to the event.

Instead of simply walking around with a camera, the booth becomes a small exhibition space where visitors can discover my work in a curated form.

This includes:

• photography artbooks featuring cosplay portraits

• Japan artbooks with many of my stories from Hokkaido to Okinawa

• selected photo prints

• and special projects like the Daruma coin series

The coins, inspired by the traditional Japanese Daruma symbol of perseverance and goal-setting, often attract curiosity because they stand out among the more typical convention merchandise.

Many visitors are surprised to see such a combination of photography, artbooks, and collectible coins at a convention booth.

But that mixture of creative projects is exactly what makes presenting them at events like ShiroCo so enjoyable.

A Look Back: ShiroCo 2023–2025

This section is perfect for showcasing some of the most memorable cosplay portraits from the past three years. Comparing the images also highlights how both the convention and the cosplay scene around it have continued to grow.

Community, Creativity, and Continuity

One of the most appealing aspects of ShiroCo is the community atmosphere.

Despite its growth, the convention still retains a welcoming and approachable vibe. Many visitors return every year, which means you often meet familiar faces again.

For photographers and cosplayers alike, this continuity makes it easier to build long-term creative relationships.

Each year brings new costumes, new projects, and new opportunities for collaboration.

Looking Ahead

After three consecutive years, ShiroCo has firmly established itself as a reliable highlight in my convention calendar.

The combination of:

• a friendly community

• interesting guests

• creative cosplay

• and the opportunity to present my own work through an artist booth

makes the event particularly rewarding.

If the past three years are any indication, I will almost certainly be back again next year — camera ready and booth prepared.

A new take on Zelda - no Damsel in distress and a Reminder to the past

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom 

A Fresh Nod to Retro Gaming with a Wall of Inaccessibility

Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom offers a delightful and modern twist on the Zelda franchise, capturing the charm and fun of earlier Zelda titles while incorporating a fresh new style. The game brings to mind the golden age of gaming in the '90s, recalling the beloved experiences of playing on the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, SNES, and N64. The top-down perspective and engine used in Echoes of Wisdom hark back to the pixelated nostalgia of those classic games, blending modern visuals with retro charm.

There’s no doubt that Echoes of Wisdom benefits from its unique blend of old-school mechanics and fresh design. It’s an experience that evokes a warm sense of nostalgia, transporting players back to the simpler days of handheld gaming, where titles like A Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, and Ocarina of Time held a special place in our hearts. The fresh art direction and modern mechanics offer a perfect balance between nostalgia and innovation, making it a joy to play.

However, while the game successfully taps into this rich history, it simultaneously draws attention to a pressing issue in the world of retro gaming: the growing wall of inaccessibility. Despite the positive homage to earlier Zelda titles, the ability to access these retro games remains frustratingly difficult. Many of the classic Zelda games that shaped the series—such as Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time, or even the earlier Game Boy and SNES titles—are either unavailable or overpriced on the second-hand market, preventing many players from experiencing these masterpieces.

This contrast is impossible to ignore as you play Echoes of Wisdom. The game is a vivid reminder of how much joy these classic titles continue to bring, yet it also underscores how difficult it is for new players to experience the roots of the series. Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom embodies the nostalgia of the '90s, but at the same time, highlights how those classic games remain locked away in physical cartridges, scarce and increasingly costly, or buried behind complicated emulation options.

As retro games continue to rise in price and scarcity, it is clear that the gaming industry must do more to make these classics accessible to all players. A more robust and accessible digital library for retro titles could solve this issue and allow players to enjoy the history and evolution of the Zelda series without the financial or logistical barriers that currently exist.

Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a great game that celebrates the past while offering something new. Yet, it’s also a reminder that while modern technology allows us to revisit the glory days of the '90s, the means to actually do so remain limited, preventing a full celebration of gaming's rich history.

CAGGTUS, Dreamhack and Games Convention Online - Can you tell the difference?

 After the end of the pandamic status the conventions and Cosplay events are starting again, but in the case of the CAGGTUS it seems to be a reboot, replacement or a renaming, because the Dreamhack has left Leipzig and will be held in Hannover for further Dreamhack iterations.

You can find out from April 14th-16th is the CAGGTUS is more than just a Dreamhack/ GC Online in disguise, although in my opinion that would not be bad.

A huge LAN-party for 3 days, Cosplay, Streaming areas, Retro Games, Challenges of all kind and a few more attractions are waiting for you, find out more here:

https://www.caggtus.de/

After visiting the Tokyo Game Show last year and being a little disappointed I am very excited and looking forward to the CAGGTUS. I am actually very curious about the cosplayers, because of TGS's lack of them and because I would love to try my new (old) CANON 300mm 2.8. I will also bring my beloved SAMYANG 85mm 1.4, my Bokeh- and portrait Monster.

XMADDU

After enjoying my last Dreamhack and after this long period without almost any conventions I am happy to experience the new CAGGTUS with the almost exact concept of the Dreamhack.

Hopefully I will be able to make a few new amazing pics like last year's MEX in Berlin

SPINATNAT.ENTE

Dreamhack 2020 about to start

It's January again, so it's time for Dreamhack in Leipzig on January 24th-26th.

I'm looking forward to Europe's biggest LAN-Party. We can expect a few booths for peripheral equipment as well as a few Cosplayers. Dreamhack started to become a bigger red carpet for Cosplayers from year to year, so I wonder what we can expect this year.

Here are a few impressions from 2019:

Tokyo Game Show 2019 - The same procedure as every year

As every Year Tokyo Game Show was held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, ~30-50 min from Tokyo, this year from September 12th-15th.

There were many big and impressive booths, e.g. CAPCOM, Square Enix and other, but sadly Nintendo again, I always hope to see them.

CAPCOM presented the new Monster Hunter Iceborne, a new MegaMan Collection which includes Mega Man Zero 1-4 and ZX, as well as ZXA, I always enjoyed the MegaMan series, that is called Rockman in Japan althought it's extremely difficult, but ZX/ZXA and the 2018 released MegaMan 11 are a bit more "user friendly". I remember when I was hunting every part of the MegaMan X series during my Working holiday in 2015-2016, especially 4 and 7 were hard to find, there were not always out of stock, but cost 5,000Yen and more very often, you can always find one of those at the BookOff stores.

At the booth there was also an amazing zombie Cosplayer to represent the Bio Hazard (Resident Evil) series and introducing a new team shooter, where you escape from one of those big bio weapons like Mister X or Nemesis.

Square Enix showed a playable version of the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake and the collector edition of Seiken Densetsu 3 (Trials of Mana) Remake as well as Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles beside a few others.

SEGA had the new Olympic game for Tokyo 2020 and the Mario & Sonic at Tokyo 2020 for sure, no surprise but good minigame collection based on the discipline as always.

On Saturday and Sunday there are always coming the Cosplayers who I always enjoy to see, so join me reviewing them

Here are a few impressions from 2017, especially regarding Monster Hunter World and a Cosplay Round Up of 2015 during my Working Holiday can found here: Tokyo Game Show Cosplay 2015

I hope you enjoyed my little around Makuhari.